The Parent Council is made possible with funding from STORYHIVE and is available for free on demand on TELUS Optik TV starting Feb 5, 2018

SYNOPSIS

Connor McPherson is a stay-at-home Dad who decides to join his daughter's elementary school Parent Council.

He has no idea what he's in for...

CAST

Patrick Creery as

Connor McPherson

Born and raised in Calgary Alberta, Patrick has worked extensively in film, television and theatre across the country, both in French and English.

Patrick is the creator, co-writer and lead actor of The Parent Council.

Patrick largest role to date was as Pete Kennedy in Dear Santa, a television movie directed by Jason Priestly and starring Amy Acker. He has also appeared on Murdoch Mysteries, Heartland and Wild Roses for the CBC.

In theatre, Patrick has appeared at the Arts Club Theatre, Bard on the Beach, L’UniThéâtre, the Citadel, Vertigo, Lunchbox and most recently as David Cameron in The Audience at Theatre Calgary.

A graduate of LAMDA’s Post-Secondary program in Classical Theatre, Queen’s University, the Second City Conservatory Program in Toronto and the Vancouver TheatreSports Improvisor Training Program, Patrick is also active in the standup comedy scene.

Ashley Comeau is an improviser, producer, actor and writer hailing from Toronto, Canada. Ashley is a Second City alumna who wrote and starred in three revues at The Second City Toronto which garnered her a Dora nomination and a Canadian Comedy Award nomination. She was named Best Female Improviser in Toronto from NOW Magazine’s “Best Of Awards 2015”.

She performs all over the world with her comedy troupe – The Lusty Mannequins. It is comprised of Ashley and her partner, Second City alum Connor Thompson along with Karen Parker and Alastair Forbes (also Second City alumni). They've performed and taught in Ireland, Spain, Germany, England, Canada, USA, on the high seas* (*with Second City Theatricals), and they just got back from headlining the first international improv festival in South Africa (which she co-produced/co-founded).

Select improv shows include: Songbuster - An Improvised Musical (Factory Theatre, Bad Dog Theatre), Theatresports (Bad Dog Theatre), Patron's Pick Winner, Best of Fringe Winner, and the Ed Mirvish Award-winning People Suck (Toronto Fringe). She has performed with the likes of Colin Mochrie, Robin Duke, Martin Short and John Cleese. You can catch her currently on Degrassi: Next Class as Ms. Badger and on Odd Squad as the evil villain Jamie Jam!

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She loves improv so much that she is the Head of Improv Programs A-E at Second City Training Centre in Toronto! She is currently Associate Producer on a new show for TVO Kids called It's My Party that teaches children about diversity and inclusion by way of a party!

She writes, acts and produces for TV and stage now, used to be a tour guide, and almost became a funeral director. That pretty much sums her up. You can follow her on Twitter here: @ashleycomeau

Ashely Comeau as

Mel McPherson

Charles Andrew Payne as Malik Samuels

Actor, Comedian, Writer and Motivational Speaker Charles Andrew Payne spent his formative years growing up in Grenada being raised by his grandparents along with a host of aunts, uncles and cousins. “When you’re the youngest of fourteen people living in a three room shack, in a third world country you learn quickly to speak up or be ignored” he says. That ability served him well when he traveled as an unaccompanied minor to Vancouver, Canada at the age of eight. Being the only black kid in his school, with a strange accent and no knowledge of first world culture he learned to use his wits to make friends and fit in.

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Charles is the co-writer of the Pilot episode of The Parent Council.

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As an Actor, he has appeared in over 140 film, television, commercial and theatre productions. Charles's writings has been featured in various publications and produced on the theatrical stage as well as television. He believes that many people forget hat the power of the mind is the most underestimated tool we have at our disposal. That is the underlying theme of his many motivational speeches where he combines his comedy and life story with an inspirational message. Charles believes that in order to move forward in life one must first tell themselves the truth about themselves and uses his comedy to illustrate his own truths about his life and experiences.

Stacy's credits include North of 60 for CBC, Dreamkeeper, Picking up the Eagle Feather, the documentary Dream Makers and the female lead in Hank Williams First Nation, for which she won Best Actress at the American Indian Film Festival in San Francisco.

Stacy worked with Crazy Horse Theatre for over 6 years, as well as having performed pantomime with Neo Eccentric Entertainment.

Stacy also works on facilitating workshops that surround issues of oppression and social injustices that youth face in their communities. Stemming from her passion for pow wow fancy dance Stacy completed the Aboriginal Dance Performance Program at the Banff Center in 2003, as well as her continued training in traditional hoop dancing.

Stacy is a member of "Going Miles" which brings to light the strength and beauty of Aboriginal People and especially our youth. All my relations.

Stacy Da Silva as

Kate Williams

Filsan Dualeh as Jen

Filsan Dualeh is a Calgary actor with a BFA in Drama and English from the University of Calgary.

Acting credits include: Julius Caesar (The Shakespeare Company, Ground Zero Theatre and Hit & Myth Productions); Parched, A play by Jennifer Roberts (Chromatic Theatre, Greater Forest Lawn Playwright’s Lab); Trojan Women; The Love of the Nightingale; and The Seagull (The University of Calgary).

She is grateful for the opportunity to be working with the talented cast and crew for the pilot web series The Parent Council.

Lydia started her love for acting from a young age. She often performed or made videos for her family and friends and knew that acting would always be a part of her life.

She studied drama and communications from the University of Calgary while also earning a diploma from SAIT's Cinema, Television, Stage and Radio program. She then went on to law school and took the skills she developed as an actor into the world of law.

Lydia is now practicing commercial real estate law, but acting remains a big part of her life.

Lydia has had small roles in the films The Claim and Gingersnaps 2: Unleashed and the TV series Fargo and Young Drunk Punk. She is extremely excited about the role of Leticia in The Parent Council and looks forward to shooting more episodes!

Lydia Lau as Leticia

Roberta Mauer Phillips as Ruth

Roberta is an actor, educator, workshop facilitator and author of educational materials for students and teachers.

For Lunchbox Theatre, Roberta has appeared in THE SURROGATE, OFFICE HOURS, THE WAY OF ALL FISH, EVERYBODY’S GRANDMOTHER, THE LANDSCAPE ARTIST, as well as many Stage One workshops. Other favourite credits include OUR TOWN, ANNE OF GREEN GABLES, A CHRISTMAS

Roberta lives in Calgary with her wonderful partner, David. A native of Montreal,

she is also an ardent Montreal Canadien’s hockey fan.

Emma Duke has been very fortunate to have worked in film, TV, theatre and voice animation. She began her acting career working in Japan (Grape Studios) in the production Meysen World.

Other film credits include Beyond The Sun, Dear Santa, and After the Storm. She voiced Rosy in the Lalaloopsy TV series, and was the original Tokoha in Vanguard Cardfight. She currently plays Kuguru in Buddy Fight. Emma’s theatre credits include A Christmas Carol, Annie, Alice in Wonderland, Barnum, and Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat.

Emma Duke as Kris

Zoë Creery as
Penny McPherson

This is Zoë’s second speaking role, the first being in a previous STORYHIVE short film The Winter Song by Aubrey Arnason.

Zoë has appeared in print and in commercials for McDonald’s, EPCOR and the Alberta Chiropractic Association. She has also previously appeared in a public service announcement from the Canadian Labour Congress with her Dad. https://youtu.be/m8eEjUNJnf4

This is Riley’s first speaking role, and her favourite part was making the crafts!